Crowd at pro-Duterte ‘People’s Rally’ swells, as EDSA gathering folds up early

The numbers at the pro-Duterte "People's Rally" rise as more people joined the overnight event. Organizers said those who showed up were more than 400,000. (Eagle News Service)
The numbers at the pro-Duterte “People’s Rally” rise as more people joined the overnight event. Organizers said those who showed up were more than 400,000. (Photo grabbed from eaglenews FB live post, Eagle News Service)

 

(Eagle News) — The numbers continued to swell at the People’s Rally at the Quirino Grandstand in Rizal Park in the Philippine capital of Manila, as more supporters of President Rodrigo Duterte showed up through Saturday night (February 25) until early dawn Sunday (Feb. 26)

From the initial 215,000 estimate of the police, organizers said that the crowd reached 400,000, with some claiming that it had even reached half a million.

The pro-Duterte gathering at the Rizal Park, dubbed as the People’s Rally went well through the night and is still going strong as of early dawn Sunday, February 26 as a program participated in by various pro-Duterte artists, entertained the crowd.

A photo grabbed from EagleNewsph facebook live of the pro-Duterte "People's Rally" Saturday night (Feb. 25) until early dawn Sunday (Feb. 26). (Eagle News Service)
A screenshot of the EagleNewsph Facebook Live coverage of the pro-Duterte “People’s Rally” Saturday night (Feb. 25) until early dawn Sunday (Feb. 26). (Eagle News Service)

 

Noted blogger and Duterte supporter Mocha Uson also appeared in the program as she encouraged the pro-Duterte crowd to continue their show of support for the President who was being hit by his political opponents led by Vice-President Leni Robredo and former President Benigno Aquino III.

Both showed up at the People’s Power Monument rally in EDSA which had a smaller crowd.

Noted blogger Mocha Uson, a board member of the Movie and Televison Review and Classification Board (MTRCB) posted this photo in her blogsite and facebook account showing her with some of those who came to the "People's Rally for President Duterte at the Rizal Park Sunday night. (photo courtesy Mocha Uson blog facebook page)
Noted blogger Mocha Uson, a board member of the Movie and Television Review and Classification Board (MTRCB) posted this photo in her blogsite and Facebook account showing her with some of those who came to the People’s Rally for President Duterte at the Rizal Park Sunday night, February 25. (photo courtesy of Mocha Uson Facebook page)

 

Government officials and personalities also came to the pro-Duterte People’s Rally. Among them were Justice Secretary Vitaliano Aguirre II, Senator Alan Peter Cayetano, Health Secretary Paulyn Ubial, and Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA) Chairman Martin Dino.

Pro-Duterte rallies and gatherings were also held in various parts of the country, including Davao City, Cebu City, Butuan City, and Maasin City, Southern Leyte.

More Duterte supporters gathered in key points around the world such in the United Kingdom, Canada, Germany, Netherlands, Saudi Arabia, China, Japan, among others, using the hashtag “#UnitedDDS Global Movement Defend Democracy, Protect Duterte.”

Candle light vigil of pro-Duterte supporters who showed up at the "People's Rally" in Rizal Park, Manila on Saturday night (Feb. 25) until Sunday dawn (Feb. 26). Photo grabbed from eaglenews facebook live post. (Eagle News Service)
Candlelight vigil of pro-Duterte supporters who showed up at the People’s Rally in Rizal Park, Manila on Saturday night (Feb. 25) until Sunday dawn (Feb. 26). Photo grabbed from Eaglenews Facebook Live post. (Eagle News Service)

More people are expected to join the pro-Duterte People’s Rally today, Sunday, February 26.

Meanwhile, the People Power Monument rally and program in EDSA folded up early as their numbers dwindled to just a few hundreds by 9 p.m. Saturday, February 25.

The rallyists there left the area around 10 p.m. that night.

At the Rizal Park, police said that the People’s Rally program continued even this Sunday morning, but many of the crowd went home to “recharge,” saying they would be back later. As of 7 a.m., police said there were still around 3,000 who stayed on at the pro-Duterte rally.

(Eagle News Service)